TNAG-1786-FCO40-2546-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-closed-camp-policy-1988 — Page 123

OXFAM

樂施會

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Integration is an idea worth pursuing but it will take some time to happen

As long as the if it happens at all. government keeps refugees in closed centres with a serious hope that they will be resettled overseas, we believe that efforts should focus on improving the schools in the

centres.

The point is that more than 2,000 children under the age of 14 are now studying in refugee schools, and many of them are clearly going to receive the bulk of their education there. It is in everyone's interests to give them a decent start in life.

There have already been improvements. For example, the problem of noise at Hei Ling Chau, which was mentioned in our last report, has been largely solved by building higher classroom walls. The acute shortage of supplies, particularly books, has generally eased.

On the other hand,

the increase in the number of children means that facilities are stretched to the limit.

For

The most serious problem is the standard of teaching. instance, at Chi Ma Wan there are 61 people employed on the education programme but we were told that only one of them has a formal teaching qualification. We do not doubt the dedication of the other 60 people, but, if the figures are correct, we have to question the effectiveness of the programme.

1007 .E

Lack of expertise applies equally to Vietnamese and expatriate teachers, and is aggravated by the high turnover of staff. This is particularly regrettable now when so many new children are arriving in the camps, many of whom had little or no formal education in Vietnam. They will need skilled tuition if they are to make any progress.

The Hong Kong government has so far stayed out of educational matters, leaving them to the UNHCR, but it should now consider the lack of qualified teachers in the centres.

Local teachers do not teach in refugee schools because the schools are not registered with the Education Department, which means that teachers do not acquire incremental points on the government salary scale. The Education Department cannot register the schools because they fall short of local standards. Since lack of space might prevent them ever reaching local standards, could the Department grant the schools exemption from registration and so encourage local teachers to work there?

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